The End of the Beginning
by AgentofDeception
Summary: After being destroyed by Neo, Smith is given a choice. After making his decision, the Agent is taken down a path he never thought possible. Please read and review!
1. Default Chapter

The End of the Beginning  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Summary: The last fight between Neo and Agent Smith in The Matrix from Agent Smith's point of view.  
  
Disclaim: I own none of this. You hear me?! NOTHING!!!! *coughs* Sorry about that, on with the show.  
  
Acknowledgements: I would love to thank Voice Of Reason 2 for all her help on this fic.  
  
Agent Smith walked towards the elevator flanked by agents Brown and Jones. He had just solved a certain problem. by the name of Thomas A. Anderson with a couple of bullets in his virtual chest. The idiot had fought for a while, but it was inevitable. Mr. Anderson was dead, much to Smith's pleasure.  
  
But something wasn't right about Anderson's death. Smith didn't know what but something was wrong. The code had changed in the hall. Smith turned his head back ever so slightly.  
  
"Impossible." he thought.  
  
The dead bullet-filled Mr. Anderson was standing up, looking very much alive. Smith did an about face. Noticing Smith's pause, Agent Jones and Agent Brown turned around as well. They stood for a fraction of second in shock and then all three raised their guns and fired. But wonders never cease.  
  
Mr. Anderson or Neo, as he liked to be called held out his hand in a stopping motion.  
  
"No." he said.  
  
The bullets seemed to slow down and stop entirely just inches from his hand. Neo picked a frozen bullet out of the air, examined it, and purposely dropped it. When the bullet hit the ground, the others followed suit.  
  
Smith let out a snarl of rage and charged towards Neosho threw every punch he knew. Neo blocked the assault effortlessly.  
  
"This cannot be happening."he thought.  
  
Then, mid-punch Neo grabbed Smith's arm and wrenched it back. Smith yelled, but it was not from pain, but anger. This virus was fighting an Agent and winning. While Neo was still holding Smith's arm, he kicked the Agent down the hall to the elevators. Smith landed only a few feet from Brown and Jones. The Agent threw off his sunglasses and stood quickly, ready to fight once more. But as Smith threw off his sunglasses there was shock on his face. Smith stood again and prepared his next attack. But then Neo began running towards Smith. Smith braced himself. But then Neo did something quite unexpected. About three feet away Neo dived for Smith. Smith threw out a punch and hit nothing but air. Neo had jumped into Smith, yes, but instead of knocking him over Neo had jumped inside Smith. Smith leaned in then out .His stomach rippled. He turned around to Brown and Jones, who froze. Bumps from his hands glided to his head, enlarging it.  
  
"This-this is impossible." Smith thought.  
  
Suddenly Smith's skin began to crack, revealing the green code underneath. He spread his shaking arms wide as the cracks grew. Smith screamed as he blew apart.  
  
Then darkness..  
  
That's the end. Please review!!!! Also should I continue this into Matrix Reloaded? Tell me. Bye! 1 


	2. Chapter two

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter two  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
To my wonderful reviewers:  
  
Shadow: Thanx!! I will continue and I will continue because more is  
better!!! (Except when it comes to math homework)  
  
Voice Of Reason 2: Thanks for the help and guidance!! Everyone check  
out her fics!!! She has a cool Sirius Black fic. Check it out!!!  
  
The Architect sat in his chair, with steepled fingers,  
watching the event on his several television screens. This Neo, a  
human, had fought an Agent and won. Agent Smith, to be exact, the best  
Agent in the system, had been destroyed. But the Agent would return.  
  
"So it begins.." Said The Architect.  
  
The Revolution had begun. 


	3. Chapter three

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Summary: The end of The Matrix through the rest of the series from Agent Smith's point of view.  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
alocin: Thakies!!! You are correct there can never be too much Smith fic! Never!  
  
Voice Of Reason 2: Thankies!!! And you're right I am the author. The power rests with me, muahhahaha!!!*coughs* sorry, anyways thank you.  
  
A/N: Smith might be a little out of character this chapter but read it anyway. Our favorite Agent will be back to his sadistic, sarcastic self very soon.  
  
This story is dedicated to the victims of September 11, their families, and the heroes who died trying save them. God bless them.  
  
Disclaim: I know that I didn't put this up last chapter but I still do not own any of this. So please don't sue me.  
  
When Smith regained consciousness he was in a room. It was a strange room, if it was a room, the Matrix Code drizzled down the walls and moved across the floor and ceiling. Smith himself felt strange, he was dressed in full uniform, but something did not seem right, like something was missing. He looked around for a door. Nothing. The Agent looked around at the floor, ceiling, and walls again.  
  
Where the hell am I? thought Smith.  
  
Suddenly out of the code, a door appeared. Smith stared at it for a moment, one eyebrow raised. Smith hesitated for a moment and walked towards the door. This might be his only chance to get out of this weird place. He grabbed the handle and twisted it. Locked.  
  
" Great. Just wonderful." Said the Agent, clearly annoyed.  
  
Then, like the door, a key appeared out of the code on the wall. Smith slowly reached out for the key and tool it from the wall. The Agent placed the key in the keyhole. He heard the lock slide and turned the door handle. Shutting the door behind him, Smith walked into a white, oval-shaped white room lined with television screens.  
  
" Agent Smith."  
  
The Agent turned to face the person who called his name. His caller was an old white man with white hair, a white suit with the slightest gray twinge, and a white goatee. He was sitting in a white office chair. Some humans would have said he looked like KFC's Colonel.  
  
" Who are you?" asked Smith, staring at the man.  
  
" I am The Architect and you are left with a choice, Agent Smith.," said the man.  
  
" A choice? What for? Smith asked the Architect. What the hell was going on?  
  
"You had a project, to destroy the rebel Neo. You failed and the Matrix has no need for a failed program. But you are left with a choice. You can go through this door," The Architect motioned to the door on Smith's right " and become an exile, no longer an Agent, just an obsolete program with no purpose. Or," he said " you can go through the other door" he motioned to the door Smith came in through " to The Source and be deleted. The choice is yours."  
  
What an idiot. Does this Architect actually think I will choose deletion? Smith thought.  
  
Smith sneered at The Architect and strode towards the door on his right.  
  
"And remember," said The Architect and Smith paused, his hand on the doorknob "after this there is no going back."  
  
Smith gave The Architect a fleeting look walked out the door. And into exile.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Good? Bad? Ugly? Tell me in a review! Until next time!  
  
AgentofDeception 


	4. Chapter four

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter four  
  
Summary: The end of The Matrix and through Reloaded and Revolutions from Agent Smith's point of view.  
  
Disclaim: I don't own any of this the Wachowski Brothers do.  
  
Authors Note: I'm glad people like this fic and reviewed it! The reviews encourage me and give me something to think about. Also, the ending is kind of clichéd but not that bad. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.  
  
Voice Of Reason 2: Thanks for the review and compliments! I'm glad you like it!  
  
Aqua Phoenix1: Thanks for the review and the suggestions! I need those! Hope you like this chapter!  
  
alocin: Glad you like it and thanks for the review!  
  
david osburne: Thanks for the review and come again!  
  
ltnikki: Thanks for reviewing and the suggestion! I think you'll like this chapter Dai!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*  
  
The Agent, Smith stood outside the Architect's room, his back to the door. So this was his decision, to be an exile. So be it then. The former Agent surveyed his surroundings. He noticed he was in a short hallway. The hall had six doors. There was one door about five feet in front of him, two on his left, two on his right, and the one behind him.  
  
Everything, the walls, floor, doors, and ceiling all had a green tone. The only things in the room that stood out were the silver door handles. The exile gazed at the door in front of him and made his decision.  
  
" The only way to go now is forward. I can not go back and taking to a side could be hazardous," he thought.  
  
The former Agent strode up to the door, grasped the handle firmly, and turned the doorknob. He stepped outside. And found himself in another hallway. Smith cursed, and then mentally slapped himself.  
  
" Disgusting human habits, you will not succumb to them," Smith thought to himself. " You will not become like a human."  
  
The former Agent looked around at the new hallway. It was stranger than the previous one. It was completely white, except for the silver doorknobs. This corridor seemed to go on infinitely. The white doors seemed to open to a new fate. Smith opened a door to his right. On the other side was a busy city street, full of people, cars, and skyscrapers. Smith quickly closed the door.  
  
"What was that?" thought the former Agent.  
  
He opened a different door. A subway, old and abandoned, lay on the other side Smith closed the door. The exile opened several more doors until realization dawned.  
  
"These doors," he thought "must be shortcuts to other parts of the Matrix. How interesting."  
  
Smith opened another door and stuck his head out. The door opened into an alleyway. At one end of the alleyway a neon sign hung. It read "Heart O' The City Hotel".  
  
"I recognize this place," thought the former Agent "I will enter here."  
  
With one last look at the white hallway, Smith closed the door. The exile strode through the graffitied alley and to the entrance of the hotel. He stepped into the musty lobby and moved towards the elevators. Pressing the "up" button, Smith waited for the lift. A few moments later, the elevator doors slid open and the Agent stepped in. The doors closed and he pressed the third floor button. As slow as molasses in January, the lift moved up, beeping when it hit a floor. The elevator reached the third floor and the doors slid open. Smith exited the lift.  
  
He strode down the hall. Now, Smith had never been one for grand entrances, but this was an opportunity too good to miss. To return where he had been "defeated", what a treat. The Agent put his finger to his earpiece to contact Brown and Jones. They would be shocked. But he did not find his earpiece, nothing was there. Smith felt wildly around his ear and neck, but did not find hid earpiece or the cord.  
  
"Of course it isn't there," said a voice in his head "Did you really think that it would still be there? You are not an Agent anymore.you barely escaped deletion.All because you had to complete that Neo project."  
  
Smith's neutral expression turned vicious at the thought of the human. The being that had destroyed his existence. The exile drew his gun and, out of pure rage, began shooting the wall on his right. After firing several times, the ex-Agent paused and stared at the wall.  
  
On the green wallpaper, amid the bullet holes was a great smear of blood leading from halfway down the wall to the floor. Smith knew that blood. This was the place where he almost killed Neo, the hazel-eyed menace. The thought of the virus only angered him more. Why did he come back here? Smith resumed shooting the wall. After Smith finished the round, he ejected the magazine and loaded another. The exile put the gun, a .50 caliber Desert Eagle, back in its holster and walked towards the elevator.  
  
Just a few steps from the lift, Smith paused. A small object lay at his polished shoes. Something vaguely familiar.Former Agent Smith knelt down and picked it up. The exile stood up slowly and opened his hand. In his palm was his old earpiece. Part of Smith wanted to throw it on the ground, stomp on it, and destroy it. But instead, the former Agent placed the earpiece in his inside pocket, as he pressed the down button on the elevator. The lift's doors slid open and the exile stepped in.  
  
"That virus, Neo, will pay for what he did to me. He will die if it is the last thing I do." Smith thought menacingly. The elevator doors closed with a metallic crunch, as if making the statement binding.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
How did you like it? Tell me in a review! Once again, I apologize for the annoying, overused ending.  
  
On a side note, did anybody notice the irony that in the Real World there is a blue color tone and blue is the color of the choice to stay in the Matrix (the blue pill)? Does this question even make sense? If you have a response to this question tell me in a review. Anyways thanks for reading, come again soon!  
  
~AgentofDeception 


	5. Chapter five

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter five  
  
Disclaim: I own none of this. The Wachowski Bros. do. So please don't sue. All you would get is a few dollars and a bag of old chips anyways.  
  
A/N: Thanks to all for their reviews! They really help me out and contribute a lot to the plot. Well anyways on with your regularly scheduled fanfic.  
  
Voice Of Reason2: Thanks for reviewing like always!  
  
Lee Jun Fan: Thank you for reviewing. Feel free to use the idea and if you use it tell me the name so I can drop in some time.  
  
Aqua Phoenix1: Thanks for the review and complements!  
  
Selina Enriquez: Thanks for the review and as for your suggestion, well, I'll think about it.  
  
Also, my beta reader ltnikki: Thanks for your help on this chapter. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~  
  
Two months later..  
  
Former Agent Smith stood on his balcony and watched the virtual sunrise. He had taken up residence in an apartment in the city. The exile had no real reason to have an apartment, but he built one anyway. After all, he was free to do as he pleased now. He was free from the constraints of being an Agent, the rules, the boundaries. Although Smith did have some trouble letting go of the fact he was no longer an Agent, he had gotten used to it. Sort of.  
  
The program left the balcony and walked into the apartment. He had work to do. Since his exile, Smith had been making a few changes. Mostly upgrades, but there were other changes as well. New fighting styles, like kung fu and ju jitsu, had been incorporated into his Agent fighting style. Smith had also updated his tracking system to where the ex-Agent could tell if a Resistance human entered the Matrix. Even though the tracking system was not advanced enough to tell him where the humans entered from, Smith was impressed with it.  
  
The exile stepped into his office and seated himself in a leather desk chair. As he removed his sunglasses, Smith gazed around at his workspace. Smith liked the room; it was very much like his office back at headquarters. With gray carpet, a dark metal desk, and a black leather couch, the former Agent found it very comfortable place. Setting the shades on the desk, Smith opened a drawer and pulled out a laptop. Like the apartment and many things he owned, Smith didn't need the laptop. Instead of using it to search for information, he used it to hack into the Mainframe to get upgrades. It felt kind of good stealing from the center of the most highly guarded place in the Matrix and not getting caught.  
  
Today's Mainframe program theft was to consist of finding and downloading (but not being infected by) a virus program that could enter a system and clone itself until it took over the system entirely. He hoped to use the virus on the Zion ships' mainframes. After entering the Matrix Mainframe database and typing in what he was looking for, the ex-Agent waited. After a few moments a window popped up. Seeing only one search result, Smith clicked the link. A drizzling of code ran down the console screen.  
  
Having done this several times before, the former Agent placed his right hand on the monitor. Suddenly, he stiffened and the code ran down the pupils of his ice-blue eyes. Smith began to download the virus program into his system. The virus downloaded very quickly.  
  
Download: 88% complete  
  
" Just a little longer." he thought.  
  
Unexpectedly, a window popped up, flashing " Warning. System malfunction. Warning. System malfunction." An impersonal computer voice also repeated the message.  
  
"Oh, shit." thought Smith. He tried to pull his hand off the screen to break the connection, but it was glued to it.  
  
"What the hell? I'm stuck. Yet the download continues."  
  
Try as he must, the ex-Agent could not pull himself free of the screen.  
  
Download: 95% complete  
  
The computer continued to flash and speak the warning. Smith's pupils were still glazed with the drizzling code. He quickly put one hand on the laptop's keyboard to steady it and attempted to pull his hand free. No such luck.  
  
Download: 98% complete  
  
Now the computer voice sounded a new warning. " System crash in 15 seconds." And another window popped up.  
  
00:15 seconds to system crash  
  
The console screen began to heat up and a few sparks flew out of the back of the monitor. The exile's attempts to free himself became frantic. He seemed glued to his seat, almost paralyzed.  
  
00:12 seconds to system crash  
  
The green code still drizzled in the blacks and the Agent realized what went wrong.  
  
"There must have been in the transfer from the Mainframe to me," he thought, " Now the virus is going to destroy the computer then.me."  
  
Smith felt his hand sizzle from the heat of the screen. The exile winced and gritted his teeth.  
  
" If this gets any worse I will be destroyed. Destroyed with my own weapon." Thought the former Agent.  
  
Had he brought about his own destruction?  
  
00:07 seconds to system crash  
  
" Why do you struggle when there is no hope?" said a voice in his head " You are going to be destroyed. It is over."  
  
"No, it isn't." Smith spoke through gritted teeth. The trapped exile  
struggled while the computer emitted more sparks. He had to hurry.  
Time was running out.  
  
00:05 seconds to system crash  
  
" There must be .some. way. There has to be." He thought. " Come on." Smith tried to stand, but failed. The Agent was paralyzed from the waist down.  
  
00:04 seconds to system crash  
  
Download: 99% complete  
  
The monitor still held the drizzling code and the warning windows. A part of Smith kept telling him to give and let death take him. The former Agent ignored it and continued to fight the seemingly inevitable end. Smith winced as the screen continued to heat. The end was near.  
  
00:03 seconds to system crash  
  
The exile struggled against the laptop that threatened explosion. More sparks came form the back and Smith could smell smoke. His hand was scalding; he could feel the sweat boiling on the screen. Time was short.  
  
00:02 seconds to system crash  
  
"So this is how it's going to end?" he thought. But then a voice told him " It's not over yet."  
  
Smith gave one final pull. Then he noticed the countdown.  
  
00:01 seconds to system crash  
  
"Oh, no." he said.  
  
00:00 seconds to system crash  
  
Download: 100% complete  
  
The green code left his pupils, but it wasn't over yet. Smith's hand was still glued to the screen. More sparks and some smoke came from the console. Time seemed to slow down. In one moment, Smith and his chair were blown back to the wall. The exile hit the floor, his chair stayed standing. From his spot on the floor, he saw the computer explode, sending a shoot of flame to where Smith's head had been just moments before. The former Agent breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
" It's over." He said with relief.  
  
But it wasn't. As the ex-Agent began to stand, he fell back to the carpet in extreme pain. Every nerve seemed to be on fire. He began to crawl, slowly, painfully, out of the ruin of his office. Smith made it to the living room before he collapsed. His mouth open in a silent scream and blood trickling down his cheek from a cut on his forehead, the exile thought, " What is happening to me?"  
  
His eyes glazed and the room began to slip out of focus.  
  
" Breath, Smith, breath." He thought.  
  
But his body would not comply and without air, the exile fell into the realm of unconsciousness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*  
  
Like it? Hate it? Tell me in a review. Oh, also I'm trying to make my updates more regular, say every two weeks. Expect them on weekends or Fridays. I guess that's everything so.  
  
'Til next time,  
AgentofDeception 


	6. Author's Note

Author's Note  
  
Hey everyone! It's good to know so many of you enjoy this fic and have reviewed. I know I haven't updated in over a month, and that is the purpose of this note. I saw Matrix Revolutions (on opening night! Woot!) And was totally blown away by it. However, it made writing this story much more complicated than I anticipated. I have a ton of stuff to figure out before I move into Reloaded and Revolutions, and the updates will be less often but hopefully longer and clearer than the previous ones. So, to those of you expecting an update I apologize. But chapter six is in the works, so hold tight for me, ok?!  
Until the next update,  
AgentofDeception 


	7. Chapter six

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter six  
  
Selina Enriquez: Thanks for the review!  
  
Lee Jun Fan: Thanks for the review and suggestion!  
  
Knive: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you noticed the similarities between the two scenes. I'm not saying I'll change chap. 3, but your suggestion might come into play later on.  
  
Voice Of Reason2: Thanks for reviewing like always!  
  
I would especially like to dedicate this chapter to Chaz Larsen, who showed me how deep the rabbit hole goes.  
  
A/N: Hi, everyone and sorry for the long delay. Chapter six is up! This chapter was hard to write for several reasons that I won't bore you with now. But anyways, thanks for your reviews and patience, people! * Hands out popcorn and soda* Enjoy the show!  
  
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Smith passed in and out of consciousness for what seemed like an age. Each time he awoke, the exile felt the all-consuming pain he had felt before he passed out. The pain of changing code. Smith was didn't know it, but the winds of change were blowing. When he returned to consciousness, the exile found himself on the beige carpet of his dark living room. Although he was not in the pain he had felt before, every part of Smith ached. Moving only his head the ex-Agent looked around. The carpet was stained with dry blood and a thin cloud of smoke wafted in from his ruined office.  
  
" How long have I been lying here?" wondered the program.  
  
The sickle moon was out and its silver light shone on where Smith lay.  
  
" I have to try and stand," he thought " I can't lie here forever."  
  
Using an end table for support, Smith rose up in one fluid movement. Instantly, he regretted it. The blood rushed from his head to his arms and legs. The room tilted and blacks spots danced in front of him.  
  
" Perhaps getting up so quickly was not such a good idea." Thought the exile.  
  
He stumbled into the bathroom, where the light was already on. Feeling lightheaded, he leaned on the sink for support. The former Agent turned and stared into the looking glass over the sink. After seeing his reflection, Smith wished he hadn't. With a stream of dried blood lining his right cheek, his chestnut hair in disarray, and his green suit in tatters, the exile looked as if he had been through a war. Smith put a tentative hand to the open wound. His fingertips came away covered in blood.  
  
He stared at his fingertips. " Disgusting."  
  
The program washed the blood from his face and hands, as well as combing his hair down. His knees felt stronger now, so Smith left the bathroom. Using the moonlight, he found the light switch and flipped it on. Smith paused for a moment, his eyes adjusting to the change in light.  
  
The exile sat down on the couch; his knees weren't as strong as he had thought they were. Questions, so many questions, circulated through his mind. What had happened in the office? What was happening to him? Something felt wrong. He ran a system check. Everything checked out normal. The exile closed his eyes and changed his sight so he could see code. When he opened his eyes, everything in the room became a collection of flowing, green symbols.  
  
" Strange. I have never seen anything like this before." He said softly.  
  
The encryption that made up Smith's body was nothing he had ever seen. And to top it off, his code also seemed to be radiating a golden light. Changing his vision back to normal, the program shifted on the couch. Things just kept getting stranger and stranger. First, the impossible, he was destroyed by a human. That Neo. Smith's mouth twitched. Then he meets the Architect, whoever he might be. Upon reflection, Smith realized he should have asked who the Architect was. But it was too late for that now. Smith had made his choice without any questions. And there was no chance of him meeting the Architect again. And just a few hours ago, he had been in a freak accident that had changed his code and nearly killed him in the process.  
  
The ex-Agent's head began to throb and he placed his right hand to his temple, and then quickly drew it back. His right palm and fingertips were blistered and burned. The program remembered the heat from the computer screen scalding his skin as he tried to pull free. The sweat from his palms had begun to boil from the extreme heat. Smith grimaced at the memory.  
  
" That monitor must have been at least two hundred degrees," he thought "I suppose my burns could have been much more serious."  
  
The ex-Agent ran his good hand over his injured one, his fingertips only lightly feeling the injuries. It never ceased to amaze him, the vulnerability of the human body. If one thing was too hot or cold, or lacked in something, it would cease to exist.  
  
" This human body is so weak, so easily destroyed. I hate it." The exile said with disgust.  
  
Smith stretched out on the couch. His legs were getting tired for sitting for so long. Glancing at the clock, he found it was 3:03 a.m. A yawn rose in his throat. Smith swallowed it.  
  
"I'm not tired. Machines don't get tired. That's not possible." Thought the exile, his eyelids dropping. And with that his eyes closed and the exile slipped into the world of dreams.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well, how was it? I really hoped everybody enjoyed this chapter. If you liked it please review and if you hated it, flame me. It helps my creative energy either way. Also, did anyone see Revolutions? How was it? On a final note, for all you Elrond fans, I'm working on a fic for him, too. I think that's everything. So..  
Until chapter seven,  
AgentofDeception 


	8. Chapter seven

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter seven  
  
Voice Of Reason2: Thanks for reviewing like always!  
  
SmithsAgent: Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like it!  
  
AgentHamsterdance: Goody you like it too! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Selina Enriquez: Glad you liked it!  
  
robotnik: Thanks for the review!  
  
kutekilala: Thanks for the review!  
  
fork girl: Thanks for reviewing, Chaz!  
  
Lee Jun-Fan: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Disclaim: You know the drill.  
  
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Standing in a muddy street crater, a rain-soaked Smith nodded and a hovercraft slammed through a stone wall. Troops of black crab-like ships moved across a barren earth followed by a white light and a scream of agony.  
  
"AAAHHH!" screamed Smith, as he fell off the couch. He landed on his back with a thump. Bolting to his feet, the exile looked around frantically. He was in his white-walled, green-furnitured living room, not a giant hole in the street. The artificial sun shone in through the glass door, creating a block of light on the floor.  
  
" It was just a dream..Just a dream." Smith thought " Wasn't it?" He closed his eyes, trying to remember the blur of images. The first image, with himself and the street crater, Smith couldn't figure out, except that it was in the Matrix, but that was it. Then, the next two images of the ships appeared to be in the Real World. As for the white light and the scream, the exile was drawing blanks. To top it all off, one question pounded through his head. What did it all mean? Smith didn't know the answer.  
  
" It means nothing, Smith, you fool." He thought, sitting down on the couch. "A dream is merely a series of mental images that occurs during sleep. Nothing more." The exile ran his right hand through his brown hair. He glanced around the room, then to his hand.  
  
"I should fix this," he said, staring at his scalded palm. Changing his vision so he could see code, Smith looked to his palm. It read as blistered, with the beginning of an infection. The exile repaired the code in his hand, so it was healed. Smith then repaired the rips and tears on his suit and the cut on his forehead. "Just like new." The program spoke softly, smirking and flexing his palm. By repairing the code on his body, Smith felt a new energy inside him, an invigorated feeling.  
  
Standing with newfound strength, the program stepped into his ruined office. He was stopped by the destruction that greeted him.  
  
" This is far worse than I remember," he muttered, casting his gaze around the room.  
  
The desk chair, which had been smoldering, had fallen over and burned a large hole in the gray carpet. His desk had been scorched beyond recognition and had collapsed from the inside. Smith moved forward and heard a metallic crunch beneath his polished shoes. Stepping back and tilting his head down, his blue eyes curious, the exile looked into the remains of his laptop. Kneeling down, he picked it up by a corner of the keyboard and promptly dropped it. He winced.  
  
" Still hot," he said, staring at it.  
  
The laptop was virtually destroyed, its monitor barely noticeable. Some of its plastic shell had melted from the explosion and hardened in a strange way, giving the computer a warped look. Standing up, Smith decided to do a little cleanup. By simply repairing the code in the room, it would look as if the accident had never happened. Switching his vision to code, the former Agent looked around. Then he paused; he didn't believe what he was seeing.  
  
" What in the..?" thought Smith, staring at the space by his desk.  
  
A body lay spread-eagled on the carpet by the scorched desk. He had not seen the figure before. While still seeing the world in code, Smith stepped toward the unknown person, drawn by some unseen force. Whoever this person was, they were not breathing or moving at all for that matter. Dropping to his knees beside the still figure, the former Agent felt as if he had met the person before, a long time ago. The code on the mysterious body was unnaturally familiar.  
  
" Who is this?" he whispered "How did they get here?"  
  
Smith reached for the shoulder of the stranger. He felt a sense of foreboding; part of him didn't want to know. But another part was uncontrollably curious. The sides fought for a moment and the curious side won. Placing his hand firmly on the shoulder, he flipped the body over. And looked right into his own eyes.  
  
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Dun, dun, dun! Another chapter finished! Aren't I just the evil cliffhanger fairy? Oh, well stop complaining! A couple of reviews might speed up the writing process though.. Anyways see you later! Oh, yeah Voice Of Reason2 thanks for your help! This chapter is for you! 


	9. Chapter eight

The End of the Beginning  
  
Chapter eight  
  
Voice Of Reason2: Thanks for reviewing like always! Your help was much appreciated!  
  
Lee Jun-Fan: Glad you liked it and interesting observation! Your questions will be answered soon.  
  
GreyElvenWarrior: Thanks for reviewing! I can't wait for the Revolutions DVD, either. I heard that it will be on video in May *hopes* so we won't have to wait too long.  
  
Selina Enriquez: Thanks for your review!  
  
Destiny Chaser: Thanks for reviewing and the comments!  
  
Agent-Diva: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
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Smith froze, his eyes widened in shock. He stared at the body on the floor- his own. For about five minutes, the former Agent gazed numbly at the still figure in front of him, looking it over. It was his body, for sure, all six foot two of it. His mind was frozen, in a state of shock. At last, he came to his senses.  
  
" What in the hell." thought the exile, trying to get a grip on the situation. He looked into the dead eyes of his double, asking to no one, " What happened here? Why are there two of me?" All this while, Smith had been seeing the world in flowing green code. Everything was green, the scorched desk, the smoldering chair, the body on the floor.  
  
That was it. All of the pieces suddenly fell into place, the answers coming fast. "I understand it now," said the former Agent, his eyes searching. The body on the floor had his old code, before the accident had changed it to a new encryption and glowing yellow. He had shed his old code as a snake sheds its skin. Which explains the pain that he felt just after the accident, the pain that had almost killed him. The program had shorn off the old code and received the new. The body lying at his knees was merely an old husk, a shell that had been emptied. Now the old Smith was dead with the old code, and a new had risen from the ashes. A phoenix, so to speak. Smith felt stronger knowing that instead of dying he had lived and had solved this mystery. But there was still something that nagged at his mind, some part of him changed that the exile could not explain.  
  
Rising to his feet, the now confident program thought, " There is more to this mystery than I can see. Hopefully the answers will reveal themselves soon."  
  
Turning away from the body, Smith walked to the door. When the exile reached the doorframe, he turned around. The green code still ran down the walls, across the floor, and over everything in the room. With one last look at the body, Smith said "Goodbye." With a wave of hand, the code in the room repaired itself. The desk morphed back to its pre-accident state, his laptop open on the table. His desk chair righted and repaired itself. The burn hole in the carpet disappeared and the remains of the laptop on the floor vanished. By the desk the still figure flickered and then blew away like mist in a sudden wind.  
  
Changing his vision back to its normal state, Smith exited his now repaired office. He moved through the living room and into the bedroom he never slept in. Flipping on the light, the exile walked to the back of the room and looked into the full-length mirror. Smith looked the way he always had with brown hair, ice-blue eyes, and a green Agent suit. But now he felt as if his clothes belonged to someone else.  
  
" Why are you holding on to this thing, Smith?" the program thought to himself "You're not an Agent anymore. You are stronger than they will ever be. It is time for a change."  
  
With that Smith changed the dull green of his Agent suit to an ebony black. His sunglasses, once rectangular and slightly reflective, were transformed into more fractured, reflective lenses. The shades also tilted up in the back giving him a threatening look. When the program finished, he gazed into the looking glass. With a half smile the former Agent readjusted his tie. Letting his arms fall to his sides, he smirked. Smith was back.  
  
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Done, done, on to the next one. All right, chapter eight finished! I hope this is as good as everyone expected. Please, please, pretty please review! All you have to do is press the little blue button in the lower left corner! Anyways, until chapter 9 (hopefully soon)!  
~AgentofDeception 


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